Scuderia Ferrari Explain Reason Behind Long Pit Stops for Charles Leclerc
Follow Us
During the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix, the Scuderia Ferrari team suffered a horrid race, as they lingered near the back. For Charles Leclerc, it was much worse, right from the pit stop phase. In the first round of stops, the Monegasque driver was stationary for nearly 10 seconds.
Ferrari: "As a precaution, we topped up pneumatic pressure on Charles’ engine during pit stop" #F1 #BelgianGP
— Luke Smith (@LukeSmithF1) August 30, 2020
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Later on, the car was stationary for around five seconds before he was finally sent on his way out. As it turned out, Leclerc and the team discovered an issue with the car’s air pressure. So, they had to top up the engine’s air valve at every stop, and that ate away precious seconds.
That was an engine air valve pressure top up for Leclerc at the pitstop.
— Gary Anderson (@GaryAndersonF1) August 30, 2020
How bad was the race for Charles Leclerc?
This was an absolutely humbling experience for the Italian giants. They have gone from winners in 2018 and 2019, to finishing outside the points in 2020.
Both drivers have tried their utmost to eke out the maximum performance from the SF1000. However, they were so woefully off-color that they were sitting ducks on the straights. Several drivers managed to outpace them, whether with DRS or without it.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Trending
Liam Lawson’s Surprise Contract Clause Threatens Daniel Ricciardo’s RB Seat
April 24, 2024 11:15 AM EDT
F1 Rumor: Adrian Newey to Join Ferrari, Leaving Red Bull Amid Christian Horner-Helmut Marko Fiasco
April 25, 2024 05:55 PM EDT
What Is Azzurro La Plata and Azzurro Dino? Significance of Ferrari’s Historic Change to a Blue Livery for Miami GP
April 24, 2024 04:52 PM EDT
“[Charles] Leclerc Doesn’t Care About Ferrari”: F1 Insider’s Brutal Blow to Fred Vasseur & Co. Has Racing Community Lashing Out
April 24, 2024 05:00 PM EDT
Daniel Ricciardo To Be Replaced by Liam Lawson After Miami, F1 Pundit Dishes Out Harsh Verdict After Australian’s “Amateur Mistake”
April 17, 2024 11:14 AM EDT
Get instantly notified of the hottest F1 stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.
Follow Us
There were a number of jokes when Charles Leclerc got overtaken and the next man behind him was his teammate. When the ordeal was finally over and the team radioed the Monaco native, they were met with dead silence.
Their only solace? The engine air valve issue was not a race-threatening problem. Sure, it was a massive headache to fill it up at every pit stop, since precious seconds got wasted. However, the team was still glad that both cars lived to tell the tale.
There was also some small comfort that Sebastian Vettel did not report anything wrong with his own car. However, it was horribly embarrassing that the highest-placed Ferrari-powered car was Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Incidentally, Raikkonen is not only a former Ferrari driver but their last champion.
Listen: Charles Leclerc’s Stunned Radio Silence Following a Nightmare Belgian Grand Prix